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Transformative Conflict Resolution in an Unstable Neighbourhood: Turkey's Conflict Resolution Efforts in the Middle East

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Transformative Conflict Resolution in an Unstable Neighbourhood: Turkey's Conflict Resolution Efforts in the Middle East Transformative Conflict Resolution in an Unstable Neighbourhood: Turkey’s Conflict Resolution Efforts in the Middle East Talha KÖSE* Abstract Introduction Turkey had pursued a foreign policy in the In the ruling Justice and Development Middle East that focused on transformative conflict resolution until the beginning of the Party’s (JDP) tenure (2002-present), “Arab Spring”. This transformative conflict Turkish foreign policy decision makers resolution approach had aimed at bringing have forged a new vision and a new holistic and systemic change to the entire region. Turkish foreign policy had aimed at foreign policy identity for Turkey in the transforming the conflict-producing structures, Middle East. Their grand vision is one tried to engage positively with the actors and of becoming a “centre country”, and elites and attempted to change the security- dominated agenda into a multi-dimensional Turkey’s new role is that of an “order- agenda. Despite the dominant discourse of the instituting country”. In order to actualise transformative conflict resolution, in practice this role, Turkey has changed its foreign- the most effective conflict resolution methods and tools that Turkey utilised during this policy discourse and mobilised practical period fell under the management approaches. foreign-policy tools and instruments that Turkey’s normative concerns and priorities had previously been partially neglected. did not overlap with the priorities of other influential actors in the region. Furthermore Turkey has acted like a regional peace- the gap between transformative discourse and broker, and it has been actively involved management practice has widened since Turkey as a third party in many conflicts in the became involved more directly with ongoing crises in the region. region. It has also tried to de-securitise its foreign policy agenda by improving Key Words cultural and economic integration with its neighbouring countries, and it has Conflict Resolution, Conflictpaid special attention to structural peace- Transformation, Turkish foreign policy, building efforts. Middle East conflicts. Turkey’s third-party efforts in the * Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, İstanbul neighbouring region have been inspired Şehir University. by a holistic notion of regional order 171 PERCEPTIONS, Winter 2013, Volume XVIII, Number 4, pp. 171-194. Talha Köse in which Turkey plays a central role.1 sided against the regimes that tried The Turkish approach to settlement to maintain the authoritarian status mediation, conciliation and negotiation quo. Although Turkey’s success in the has tried to challenge the pre-existing Middle East diplomacy was due to political and socio-economic status quo in this new paradigm, transformative CR the Middle East. These efforts have aimed approaches have faced certain limitations to transform the political, economic and in the aftermath of the “Arab Spring,3 cultural structures and relations, which and Turkish foreign policy has gradually still have residues of the Cold War, and incorporated coercive foreign policy the authoritarian political regimes in tools. Contextually, the centrifugal the region. Turkish efforts at regional tendencies were accelerated after the stabilisation and conflict resolution civil war in Syria and Turkey is now (CR)2 can be defined as “transformative” trapped on one side of this polarisation. because they have aimed to gradually Turkey’s transformative potential has change conflict-producing structures, been constrained due to this contextual issues, relations and communication uncertainty. In this new milieu Turkey norms in a systematic way rather than has taken a side role rather than playing solely focusing on trying to address the role of third party. This study immediate problems. On the other hand, examines Turkey’s conflict resolution Turkey has been trying to institutionalise efforts towards Middle East until the an order based on good neighbourly Arab Spring. relations and increased trade and cultural exchange at the grassroots level. Transformative Conflict The Turkish approach to Resolution in the Middle settlement mediation, East conciliation and negotiation has tried to challenge the pre- In the academic literature, “conflict existing political and socio- management”, “conflict prevention”, economic status quo in the “conflict resolution”, “conflict transformation” (CT) and “conflict Middle East. reduction” are often used interchangeably. There are conceptual differences between Those policies were pursued these terms, and those differences have systematically until the civil wars in practical implications. CT refers to “the Libya and Syria, where Turkey clearly longer term structural, relational and 172 Transformative Conflict Resolution in an Unstable Neighbourhood cultural changes that are brought by Once the conflict among the parties is conflict resolution”.4 Proponents of CT5 managed, new relationship forms can often exaggerate the differences between emerge. CM often does not aim to bring CR and CT in favour of the second systemic and sustainable changes to the term. However, as Mitchell emphasises, conflict-producing environments. the concept of “transformation” emerged because of the misuse or corruption of the original term “resolution”.6 Since Turkish foreign-policy decision CR is widely used to define the field makers strategically pursue in general and is the most well-known transformative CR, which has term, this concept is preferred in this a more ambitious agenda of study. Turkish conflict-resolution efforts change than do the settlement, fit better with the “transformative management and resolution approach” rather than the “resolution” approaches. or “management” approaches, since the former aims to bring a systemic CR tries to “address underlying causes change in the region. Rather than CT, of conflict by finding common interests “transformative CR” is preferred as the and overarching goals”9 and it involves term that best denotes Turkey’s CR attitudinal and structural changes to efforts within the designated era. address the root causes of conflicts. Conflict management (CM) is the Ramsbotham et al. consider CT, in constructive handling of difference and contrast, as the deepest level of change divergence, and it focuses on practical and the extension of conflict resolution and achievable ways to bring opposing to a broader level.10 CT emphasises parties together into a cooperative addressing the structural roots of process. CM does not struggle to address conflict by changing existing patterns the underlying sources of conflict in of behaviour and creating a culture a holistic way or to change the status of nonviolence. While the peaceful quo in a systemic way.7 It is based on settlement and termination of conflicts the assumption that conflicts are rarely are emphasised in CR, CT problematises completely resolved or eliminated, violence rather than conflict. A deeper but that they can be managed by level of change to transform conflict- negotiation, mediation, conciliation producing emotions and culture is and arbitration, and sometimes through emphasised in CT.11 CR promotes the deeper institutional reform of the termination of conflict by addressing security sector and good governance.8 the conflict’s root sources. CT also aims 173 Talha Köse to incorporate processes to address the became visible starting in the second term residues of conflict, including trauma, of the JDP administration.17 The Middle fears, hurts and hatreds.12 East and North Africa (MENA) and the Balkans are the main areas where this According to John Paul Lederach, new policy has been actualised. Turkey one of the leading theorists in this area, has played active third-party roles in CT respects and includes cultural and the Iranian nuclear crisis, between Syria human resources within a particular and Israel, between Syria and Iraq, and setting rather than imposing an outsider between the fighting factions and groups answer.13 CT accentuates empowering in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon. Turkey disenfranchised parties and allowing has actively used conflict-resolution emotional and cultural expressions as and conflict-management instruments important elements of transformative to implement its role as an “order- practice.14 CR, in contrast, focuses on the instituting actor”. Turkish NGOs and termination of the underlying sources civilian actors have become important of conflict and addressing the needs, stakeholders in this transformation. interests and value-oriented concerns These official diplomatic efforts are only a of the actors involved. CT stresses limited aspect of a comprehensive policy changes at the personal, structural and of conflict transformation. Interventions relational levels15 Turkish foreign-policy at the grassroots levels and unofficial decision makers strategically pursue levels have been crucial elements of transformative CR, which has a more successful transformation.18 ambitious agenda of change than do the settlement, management and resolution The role of an “order-instituting actor” approaches. is a complicated and multifaceted one, one that encapsulates leadership roles From Discourse to Practice: in the fields of regional politics, culture, economics, structural peace building Transformative Conflict and security. This role has necessitated Resolution in Turkish a substantial transformation in Turkey’s Foreign Policy foreign policy vision and practice as well. New foreign-policy instruments in A
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